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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

The Cheapskate's Guide to Summer in St. Louis

In some cities "cheapskate" is a dirty word. But here in St. Louis -- a city frequently featured on clickbait lists as one of the cheapest in America -- we wear that distinction as a badge of honor. Let other urban giants have their $9 microbrews and double-digit museum entrance fees. We have our own Picassos -- and they're free, year round (except on Mondays).

So suck it, Chicago, and come on a little adventure with the Riverfront Times for your best, cheapest summer ever in 2015.

1. Bike everywhere. Thanks to regional advocacy organizations such as Trailnet and Great Rivers Greenway, St. Louis has more designated bike lanes in 2015 than ever before in its 250 year history. They're safe, so grab a map from www.bikestlouis.com and use 'em!

2. If you can't bike, take public transportation. The real trap of popular tourist zones like the Arch, Washington Avenue and Ballpark Village is getting suckered into paying for parking. Remember, MetroLink isn't just for baseball games.

3. Bring a picnic. Sure, food trucks are as delicious as they are endemic to all the city's major summer hang-out spots. But real broke-ass St. Louisans still manage to class it up with plastic cups of chardonnay and a hunk of cheese from Schnucks. Stop wasting money, and get started on your Pinteresting picnics.

Courtesy of the St. Louis Art Museum

This summer, catch Jaws or The Sound of Music on the lawn at Art Hill -- for free.

Check out these free (or super-cheap) activities for the summer of 2015.

Free Movies
Nothing says summer like a blockbuster film. Here are two great options to watch them outdoors, and both of 'em are free.

1. Art Hill
Every Friday this July Art Hill (1 Fine Arts Drive) offers a great lineup of classic films -- family-friendly enough for sophisticated or dozing kids, and PG enough to still be interesting to everyone else. Come early to stake out prime real estate and groove with a DJ before the sun goes down. There is also a DIY art lab, geared toward adults. Food trucks and the music start at 6 p.m., and movies begin promptly at 9 p.m.

Friday, July 10: Back to the Future
Friday, July 17: Jaws
Friday, July 24: Clueless
Friday, July 31: The Sound of Music

2. Movie Mondays at Ballpark Village
If you screen it, they will come: Ballpark Village's absolutely free outdoor-movie series offers a solid selection of family-friendly, sports-themed films. Bring your own food and take MetroLink to save some dough -- or be prepared to pay up!

Monday, June 22: The Lego Movie
Monday, July 20: Space Jam
Monday, August 10: The Little Rascals
Monday, September 14: The Sandlot

Cheap Dance Parties
The best dance parties in St. Louis generally come with a $5 cover. That may be mere pennies compared to cities on the coasts -- but paying actual cash to exercise your God-given right to shake it?! Hellz no. Here are five free dance parties to get you moving.

1. Lunch Beat STLWednesday, June 17. HandleBar, 4127 Manchester Avenue. Wednesday, July 15.KDHX, 3524 Washington Avenue. Wednesday, August 19.Blank Space, 2847 Cherokee Street.
An absolutely free one-hour pop-up dance party with the best local DJs on a rotating schedule at venues across the city. Escape the midday summertime sadness with hipsters of all ages who need a break from the nine-to-five grind. All take place at noon, and all are free.

2. HandleBarHandleBar, 4127 Manchester Avenue. 314-652-2212. $5.
If you have any groove, Saturday nights with DJs London Calling and 18 & Counting will make you move. If you're too cheap for the $5 cover, get to HandleBar before 9 p.m. for dinner and drinks on the patio: Its firepit is our mecca.

3. SLAM Underground7 to 10 p.m. June 26 and August 28. The Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Drive. 314-721-0072.
Forget the Saint Louis Art Museum during the day. The final Friday of the month at SLAM Underground is where it's at. The museum's new after-hours series, which kicked off a year ago, is designed to bring art to the under-50 set. The result is a wonderful collaboration among the city's best DJs, printmakers, musicians and craftsmen and -women of all stripes for a celebration of the museum's best exhibition that month. Bust a move and bring home a craft project that's too cool for summer camp.

4. Rumpshaker Blank Space, 2847 Cherokee Street. 314-300-8831. $3.
The suggested donation of $3 buys you a sweaty night of funk, R&B, boogie and disco with DJ Boogieman every first Thursday of the month.

5. St. Louis Contra DancersSt. Louis Contra Dancers. 37 South Maple Street, Webster Groves.
If you find your stride in the steps and sways of a much earlier time, connect with www.childgrove.org or the Facebook group St. Louis Contra Dancers to do-si-do with lovers of waltzes, English country dance and contra dance (the kind of rumpshaking that's been happening in American barns for 300 years).

Turn the page for more good, cheap fun, including inexpensive exercise and cheap ways to get on the water.